Re: Best 1 source graphic format print/online

["Brierley, Sean" <Brierley -at- QUODATA -dot- COM>]

Hallo:

EPS and CAD formats are vector. They are infinitely sizeable and print
excellently because they are formula-based. Vector formats have a bitmap
header because monitors display only bitmaps. Vector graphics do not display
on monitors. These bitmap headers usually are pretty rough.

For viewing on screen, select a bitmap format, such as JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF,
PNG . . .. These formats are not easily scalable because they are pixel
based and tend to produce jaggies or blurry aliasing when re-sized.

There are some slick graphics formats for the web, such as Macromedia Flash,
and Adobe plans PGML as a vector-based web graphic format. However, web
vectors and the like are not here yet . . . Flash is but requires a plug-in.
Anyway for the web the GIF and JPEG bitmap formats are standard.

So, what to do?

For print, stay with EPS and other vector formats. These are designed for
printed output. For the web and online, create graphics in GIF or JPEG
format. Sure, you will have some duplication. Can your CAD software render
its designs out as BMP, or some other bitmap format? Anyway, print and
online are fundamentally different and to do both from one doc you are going
to have to compromise the strengths of each format. Such a compromise might
involve the decision to stop using vectors all together or to create two
sets of images.

Good luck.

Sean
sean -at- quodata -dot- com

P.S. The Windows-based WMF format is a vector with a pretty decent bitmap
header. WMF converts well between vector and bitmap formats.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ainbinder, Rob [SMTP:Rob_Ainbinder -at- GILBARCO -dot- COM]
> Sent: Thursday, August 19, 1999 1:50 PM
> To:   TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject:      Best 1 source graphic format print/online
>
> Fellow TechWriters:
>
> Any opinions on the best single source graphic format that
> doesn't pixelate horribly for print and online?
>
> We are using Frame 5.5.6 (NT) and importing Illustrator 8 EPS files
> then processing these files into dynamically served HTML w/JPEGs.
>
> Conclusions:
> 1) 8 bit TIFF preview is worthless
> 2) 1 bit TIFF preview is barely useable (but, we have been using it for a
> LONG
> time).
> 3) Limited capability in managing color images
>
> Details:
> CAD files are available to us as .DXF, .CGM. (Frame supports these formats
> but,
> the Web doesn't support .CGM or .DXF without expense of .CGM web browser
> plug
> ins)
>
> Graphics files produced inside department as EPS.
> MIF muncher converts EPS, and TIFF to JPEG or GIF or pass through
> graphics without processing.
>
> Were hoping for a reasonable answer that we can get by with until WebCGM,
> and
> SVG get support from software vendors.
>
> Reply directly if you wish.
>
> rob_ainbinder -at- gilbarco -dot- com
>
> From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=
> =
>
>

 From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=